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BJP leader Ram Shinde was on Thursday appointed the chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council — a post which has been lying vacant for more than two years.
For the BJP, the appointment of Ram Shinde has not only reaffirmed its dominance in the Upper House, which is politically crucial to push the state government business to its logical end, but also bolsters its attempt to reach out to the Dhangar community to which the 55-year-old leader belongs.
The move is also seen as political rehabilitation for Ram Shinde after his consecutive defeats in the 2019 and 2024 Assembly polls.
In the recently held Assembly polls, Ram Shinde had lost by a narrow margin of 1,243 votes to NCP(SP)’s Rohit Pawar from the Karjat- Jamkhed constituency in Ahmednagar district. He had then blamed BJP’s alliance partner NCP led by Ajit Pawar, who was Rohit Pawar’s uncle, for the defeat.
Ram Shinde hails from Chondi in Ahmednagar district in Western Maharashtra.
After completing his BEd from Marathwada University in the then Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), and MSc from Pune University, he started his political journey.
In 2009, he had won as a BJP candidate from Karjat-Jamkhed, a seat which he retained in the 2009 and 2014 elections.
He was also the Minister of State for Home, Public Health, Horticulture and Markets and Tourism in 2014 when Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister.
Within two years, he was elevated as a cabinet-rank minister and given the water conservation ministry in 2016. Ram Shinde was appointed as Member of State Legislative Council ( MLC) in July 2022.
Ram Shinde belongs to the Dhangar (shepherd) community, which constitutes 9 per cent of the state’s population.
The community had been been demanding, for decades, reservation under Scheduled Tribe category.
Currently, Dhangars get 3.5 per cent quota under Nomadic Tribe (C) Dhangar category.
In the 2014 Assembly polls, Devendra Fadnavis had promised to address the Dhangar community’s quota demand.
Accordingly, government took initiative to conduct surveys and entrusted TISS to prepare a study report. However, the matter remains inconclusive as communities under the ST category have opposed the move.
The post of chairman of state legislative council was lying vacant since 2022 after the tenure of undivided NCP leader Ramraje Nimbalkar ended.
Unlike in the past, BJP has made it clear that it will not leave its claim on constitutional posts in the state legislative.
From 2022 to 2024, Neelam Gorhe from Ekanth Shinde-led Shiv Sena, who was deputy chairperson of MLC, was given the additional charge of acting chairperson.
Even as the Shinde Sena was vying the chairperson post, BJP stood its ground citing it had more members in the state council.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Fadnavis termed Ram Shinde’s appointment a “perfect tribute” to Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar.
“This is the 300th birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar and coincidently we have made Ram Shinde the chairman of state legislative council. Shinde hails from the ninth generation of Ahilyabai Holkar’s father’s family.”
Whereas, Deputy CM and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said: “You have Ram in your name. And you share Shinde surname. I am confident that you will give justice to every member in the upper house.”
Meanwhile, NCP chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, whom Ram Shinde had accused of not campaigning for him, said: “What ever happens is for the best… You had complained that I did not hold campaign rally in Karjat-Jamkhed and you lost. Today, you are elevated to a higher post.”
